Fresh!

When we start something new, we have a lot to learn and we know it.  Maybe when we try an activity for the first time, we discover that we have way more body parts than we suspected, each determined to go in a random direction.  Our muscles get sore and our brains hurt from trying to integrate a whole bunch of information at once.

The good part is that we also make rapid progress.  The first month can be one of huge gains in cardio fitness in particular.  As we figure out the form for our weight lifting and our bodies adjust, we may lift more each workout for a while.

And then the progress seems to stop.

Please note that I said “seems.”

What happens is that we get all the easy gains out of the way in the beginning.  Now that we know more or less what we’re doing, the changes are more gradual and more subtle.  We’re less sore, but we’re also habituated to our new activity level.

If we’re lucky, we keep perspective on how far we’ve come and how much better we feel now that we’re moving more.  If not, we might feel like quitting.  That never works.  What does work is keeping things fresh and new for our bodies and brains.  On days when we don’t feel particularly creative, that can be as simple as adding another set, or doing a shorter set with heavier weights.  It could mean trying a different class, or swapping swimming for biking or stairs for elliptical.  Maybe it is as simple as taking the workout outside.

We do have to keep working, but we can make it more interesting for bodies and minds.